Method of making containers



- April 6, 193' 7.

E. HILDEBRANDT METHOD OF MAKING CONTAINERS Filed-Aug. l, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l April 6, 1937. E. HILDEBRANDT 2 METHOD OF MAKING CONTAINERS Filed Aug. 1, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gmmm .Z'dadarcZ Hjhiebrdndfi,

Patented Apr. 6, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT err-"ice 2,076,34: METHOD OF MAKING commas Edward Hildebrandt, Seattla'Wash. Application Allxust 1, 1934, Serial No. 731,983,

3 Claims. (01. 113-120) My invention relates to improvements in methods of making containers and has to do, more particularly, with a method of making containers which are used for shipping and displaying commodities such as food products and the like.

It is a' primary object of my invention to provide a method of making a container, the contents of which are attractively displayed.

It is also an object of my invention to provide a method for making a container which container is light in weight, yet sturdy and resistant to collapse.

It is a further object of my invention toprovide a method for making a display container in which display container clear contents such as jellies, oils, and the like are naturally transliluminated.

It is a still further object of my invention to provide a method for making a sheet metal container which may be fabricated at low cost, there being little or no scrap incident to the formation of its blanks.

Further objects, and objects relating to details and economies of construction and assembly will more definitely appear to those skilled in the art from the detailed description "to follow. In one instance, I accomplish the objects of my invention by the means set forth in the following specification. My invention is clearly defined in the appended claims. The method constituting the preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of a container stituting the inside surface of the wall when assembled;

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view of the structure shown in Figure 3',- illustrating the stamped sheet metal blank and the cup-like cellophane window elements prior to the seaming operation by which the elements are assembled;

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view of a portion of the side wall blank and one tautly assembled by the method of my incellophane window, showing the fluid-tight seam construction employed j Figure 6- is a detail sectional view through a portion of the container, closure, and fastening device for sealing said closure;

Figure 7 is a perspective view-ofa modified form of side wall construction in which a single flat sheet of cellophane is employed for both con'-' tainer windows; c

Figure 8 is a horizontal. sectional view of an oval container fabricated from a sidewall blank of the type illustratedin Figure 7; i1

Figure 9 is a vertical sectional view of a slightly modified form of oval container in which the transparent windows are constituted by portions of a cup-like cellophane lining snugly fitted within the sheet-metal container shell;

Figure 10 is a detail sectional view of the container illustrated in Figure 9, showing the flared form of the upper edge of the cup-like cellophane lining, which flared portion serves as a gasket upon and within which the container closure is seated; and

Figure 11 is a vertical sectional view of a modifled form of closure adapted for use with containers such as illustrated in Figures 1, 2, and 9, and having its central body portion formed of a cellophane sheet seamed, at its periphery, to the flange of the closure ring.

In the drawings, like reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In a broad aspect, my invention consists in a method of making a container having a tubular side wall which side wall consists of a rigid skeleton shell provided with openings closed by transparent sheet material, which openings are so disposed as to permit transillumination of the container contents. Another collateral broad feature of my invention consists in the formation of the skeleton shell from a solid blank and the utilization of the portions cut therefrom to form closures for the ends of the tubular shell.

More specifically, my invention is preferably embodied, as shown in Figures 1 to 5, in a method of making a container, which container consists.

of a tubular side wall I0 01 elliptical cross sec-n tion, a bottom wall II, and a friction closure or top wall l2. The side wall I0 is formed from a i sheet of metal, cardboard, or the like l3 provided:

with reversely bent end flanges I 4, l5 which arei-Dz interengageable to form atube. A pair of large.

openings l6, I! are formed in the sheet, andthe" 1 'marginal portions of the sheet which define each,- of these openings are die'pressed to form' flanges" l8, I! of U cross section, as shown in Figure 4;

the edges of which flanges are curled reversely to constitute open beads 20, 2 I.

Where, as in the present instance, the container is elliptical in horizontal cross section, the

openings are preferably elliptical and of a size equal to or slightly greater than the cross-sectional size of the container. Cellophane window walls of cup form, consisting of web portions 22, 23, flanges 24, 25 and peripheral beads 26, 21 are placed across the openings I6, I I with their headed edges 26, 21 seated in the base of the flanges I8, I9 whereupon the sheet is placed in a press (not shown) and the flanges I8, IS with the flanges 24, 25 are pressed together and radially l5 outwardly, straightening the flanges 24, 25, sealing them in the flanges I8, I9 and tautly stretching the webs 22, 23. The beads 20, H and 25, 2'! are constricted and impacted together, as shown in Figure 5, providing a liquid-tight seal between the'window walls and the skeleton shell. The end flanges I4, I5 of the sheet-are then interlocked and preferably soldered, whereupon the sheet is shaped to form the elliptical side wall I 0 of the container, the openings I6, I1

being symmetrically disposed at the acutely curved portions of the side wall, that is, at the two ends of the major axis of the ellipse. In this construction the skeleton shell constituted by the cut-out sheet I3, when viewed from either broad side, has the appearance of a recumbent or horizontal figure H, as shown in Figure 2. The shell as a whole may be said to consist of a pair of horizontal H sections joined end to end to constitute a skeleton band. From another aspect the shell illustrated might be said to consist of an annular band-like member A contiguous and secured to the container bottom H, a similar annular band-like member B contiguous and secured to the container top I2, and

narrow, diametrically-opposed vertical members "C" integral with and bridging the band-like members A and B.

The bottom wall closure II of the container is of more or less conventional form but is pressed from one of the portions cut out from the sheet I3 to form the openings I6, I I. The top wall or closure I2 of the container is of the friction seal type and is likewise pressed from material cut from the sheet I3 to form the other of the openings IE or I I. One or more sealing tongues 28 seamed into the peripheral fiange I2a of the closure I2 are provided for securing the closure to the outwardly curled edge Illa of the side wall I 0 of the container. The sealing tongues may or may not be formed of stock derived from the formation of the openings IS, IT in the sheet I3. The tongues 28 are preferably scored at 29 so as to be frangible at a point adjacent the flange Illa and permit facile removal 0 of the closure I2.

The container above described is particularly adapted for shipping and storing clear foodstuffs, oils and the like which are translucent. The portions "A, "B and "C" of the shell are readily or, adapted to ornamentation or direct labeling with the container contents clearly-visible or transilluminated, not only providing a pleasing reaction to the purchaser's eye but also permitting instant identification of the goods. The container is 70 amply resistant to collapse and leakage though characterized by extreme light weight. Barring intentional puncture of its window walls, my container is comparable to the conventional tin so widely used, and overcomes the primary dis- 75 advantage of that construction, namely, the nephane.

acres-1s cessity of the customer making a "blind pur-' chase.

In Figures 7 and 8 I have illustrated a some-.

what modified construction which may be made by the method of my invention. In this construction the sheet 23 is provided with openings I5, H which have straight edges, and the longitudinal top and bottom edges of the sheet are turned back to provide flanges 34, 35. A single sheet of cellophane 36 is slipped across the sheet I3 from the end defined by the flange I5 and extends completely thereacross, with its top and bottom edges received in the flanges 34 and 35, respectively. The side wall thus provided is formed into an elliptical tube as shown in Figure 8 and is assembled in conventional manner with top and bottom closures formed from the material removed to form the openings IS, II.

In Figures 9 and 10 there is illustrated another container construction which may also be made incidental to the method of my invention. The side wall of this container is generally similar to that illustrated in Figure 2, with the exception that the two window walls are provided by a single cup-like lining 46 of cellophane or equivalent transparent material which. extends snugly across the entire inner surface of the container bottom and side walls and the openings I6, II. The extreme upper portion of the lining 45 is flared outwardly to constitute a gasket portion 46a which overlies the outwardly curled container lip Illa and within and upon which the top wall or closure I2 is seated and frictionally held. As in the case of the other constructions, the top and bottom walls II, I2 are pressed from material removed to form the openings I6, II.

In Figure 11 there is illustrated a modified form of container top or closure consisting of a vertical annular sheet metal band 50 provided with a radial flange 5I terminating in a reversely bent spaced flange 52 which receives the peripheral portion 53 of a cup-like, member of. cellophane or the like, consisting of a band portion 54 which snugly encircles the sheet metal band 50 and a disc-like web portion 55 constituting the closure proper. This closure is particularly adapted for use with container structures of the types herein described and, where the side wall opening extends across but one face thereof, affords transillumination of container contents from the top of the container.

I wish it distinctly understood that numerous changes are possible without departing from the broad concepts of my invention. While the container shell and window walls are preferably formed from sheet metal and sheet cellophane, respectively, other materials such as still paper board and waxed paper are in many instances available as substitutes. Where the contents oi the container are cellophane-solvent or partially so, transparent protective coatings may be employed, or thin flexible sheets of pyroxylin or phenolic resins may be employed in lieu of cello- While two diametrically opposed openings are preferably employed, in some instances a single opening extending into two opposed faces of the side wall may suiflce. Likewise, where the container blanks are stamped by production machinery, it is obvious that the portions removed from the side wall shell of one container may be used as stock for the formation of closures to be associated with the side wall of another container. Similarly, in many instances, the transparent wall portions may be applied to either the inner or outer surface of the shell. These and other variations will appear to those skilled in the art when acquainted with the present invention. I therefore 'claim,my invention-broadly, as indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim is: I

1. The method of fabricating containers of the display type which comprises: cutting and forming a blank to constitute the wall portion of the container, cutting, from material of said blank, a section of a size and shape corresponding to the cross-sectional size of said container, and securing said cut-out section to said container across one end thereof to constitute a closure therefor.

2. The method of fabricating containers of the display type which comprises: cutting and forming a blank to constitute the wall portion of the container, cutting, from the material of said blank, a section of a size and shape corresponding to the cross-sectional size of said container, replacing the cut out section with a window wall of transparent material, and securing said cut-out section to said container across one end thereof to constitute a closure therefor.

3. The method of fabricating containers of the display. type which comprises: cutting and forming a blank to constitute the wall portion of the container, .cutting, from the material of said blank, a pair of spaced sections, each of a size and shape corresponding to the cross-sectional size of 'said container at its respective open ends, replacing the cut-out sections with window walls of transparent material, and securing a cut-out section to said container at each end thereof to constitute top and bottom closures therefor.

EDWARD HILDEBRANDT. 

